Citizens globally getting disillusioned with the political establishment and those in power -- this was a trend.
But there was something to cheer about India.
The Modi government celebrated the return of democratic elections in Jammu and Kashmir after years of violence and then central rule and abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
The year 2024 also the biggest surprise for the end, bringing about the downfall of the despotic Assad dynasty in Syria.
Three things happened globally.
** The general global political landscape shifted... (towards right wingers in many countries)
**
Democracies grappled with their vulnerabilities and
Authoritarian regimes revealed their cracks.
Ruling with an iron fist, the Assad regime had suppressed the Syrian revolution with brute force, relying on Russian jets and Iranian and Hezbollah militants to massacre their own citizens.
The desire to hold onto power was such that Assad had even used chemical weapons on his own people. At the start of 2024, the Syrian resistance forces looked spent, and Assad was being rehabilitated by Arab countries. The regime, however, collapsed in dramatic fashion towards the end of 2024, bringing to an end a brutal regime that has murdered hundreds of thousands of Syrians over the years.
In India, Narendra Modi proved many people and 'world trends' wrong as he returned to power for a record third time. But the BJP's umber declined .-- nosedived much below 272 (minimum required) for simple majority.
Therefore analysts say --
"..in India, the world’s largest democracy, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recognised that anger was brewing against its policies as well, despite the fact that Narendra Modi secured a third term as prime minister.
Concerns over democratic backsliding, youth unemployment, and minority rights meant that the BJP and its allies failed to garner their stated goal of winning over 400 seats in India’s lower house of parliament."
But the narrow escape was possible due to the illustrious 'Modi factor' and also because he had reposed full faith in the Hindutva agenda. The party suffered unprecedented setback in Uttar Pradesh and suffered total loss of 29 seats; but it gained new numbers in Odisha.
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The saffron party suffered setbacks even in West Bengal and Maharashtra. But the pre-poll allies like TDP and JD-U stuck to Modi and hence helped him to be sworn in for the third term. It's a record !
Surprises (anti-incumbency) showed its impact even elsewhere.
The US was not the only democracy where the political establishment faced defeat.
In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority for the first time since apartheid’s end. The ANC’s share of the vote plummeted to just 45 per cent — a stark contrast to its historical dominance where it routinely garnered over 60pc of the electorate’s support.
Decades of corruption and unfulfilled promises finally caught up with the party, marking a seismic shift in the nation’s politics.
In the United Kingdom, Labour’s Keir Starmer swept to power, ousting Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives in a landslide victory that saw the party secure its largest majority since 1997.
In France, Macron’s centrism lost sway, with both the far-left and far-right making gains, while in Germany, Olaf Scholz’s coalition faced public backlash over economic woes and energy challenges, leading to a loss in the vote of confidence.
Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina could return to power by way of elections. But violent protest brought an end to her rule.
On January 7, 2024, Sheikh Hasina had secured a fifth term as Prime Minister in an election marred by allegations of widespread suppression.
With voter turnout at a meager 40%, the opposition faced a ruthless crackdown.
Student protesters led the charge in Dhaka, with heavy handedness from law enforcement agencies causing hundreds of deaths in the streets. As discontent brewed, Hasina tried to push back but ultimately had to escape to India.
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| Bangladesh: File snap |
In the US, Donald Trump’s victory came with a significant electoral margin, flipping key swing states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and reversing trends that had favoured Democrats in the previous election cycle.
In places like Michigan, a sizeable Muslim population disgusted with the Biden administration’s policy towards Palestine, voted in favour of a candidate who in his first term had enacted a Muslim ban.
Pakistan: A victory without power for Imran Khan
Pakistan’s February 8 election marked a dramatic political struggle. Despite being imprisoned, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s PTI party emerged as the most voted party. Yet, a coalition led by Shehbaz Sharif’s PML-N and the PPP thwarted Khan’s return to power. The election underscored the military’s pervasive role in the country’s political landscape.
The incoming Trump administration can actually help his 'release' from the jail.
Even China was not spared from the chaos.
With the economic slowdown caused by pandemic-era policies fuelling unrest, there have been unrest in China too - unsettling the ruling regime and paving the way for a larger stimulus package meant to generate growth.
Russia has also witnessed growing discontent, with reports suggesting that citizens are increasingly questioning Vladimir Putin’s policies as economic sanctions bite and the toll from the war in Ukraine mounts.
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